ATLANTA (Aug. 25, 2026) -- The U.S. Men’s Cerebral Palsy (CP) National Team traveled to Colombia from Aug. 8-16 for a training camp and played three friendlies against Colombian Men’s CP National Team ahead of the IFCPF World Cup.
The first match against the host nation was on Aug. 12th with the hard-fought match having ended in a scoreless draw at Estadio Alvaro Gómez Hurtado in Santander, Colombia. This was the third game of the year for the team, following two wins over Scotland in May. U.S. Head Coach Stuart Sharp started a veteran team in its first match against Colombia, including all seven players with previous World Cup experience.
In the second match, the U.S. fell to Colombia 2-1 after a late goal which broke the Americans 11-game undefeated streak dating back to 2024. U.S. forward John Sullivan scored his third career goal in first-half stoppage time, putting the team ahead when he headed in a Ben Lindau corner kick. However, Colombia scored twice in the final 12 minutes with Manuel Pacheco striking in the 48th minute and Daniel Otero converting a game-winning penalty kick late in second-half stoppage time.
Ben Lindau and Cameron DeLillo each played their 50th career game for the U.S., joining Josh Brunais (52) and Adam Ballou (97) as the only active players to reach the mid-century mark.
The team closed out the international camp with a 1-0 loss in the third match. Colombia brought in playmaker Manuel Pacheco off the bench in the second half, and the talented player was again a difference maker, breaking the deadlock midway through the second half with a well-taken first-time shot with the outside of his right from15 yards out past Boyle.
For a third straight game, the American team started a different player as the lone forward. This time around, Adam Ballou given the nod and earned his 98th career cap. Goalkeeper Sean Boyle also returned to goal for his second start of the week.
This was the second-straight summer in which the two sides met for a series of three friendlies at Estadio Alvaro Gómez Hurtado in Bucaramanga. In 2025, the U.S. won all three matches by scores of 2-1, 1-0 and 4-2. The competitive level of the teams was on display with tough matches throughout camp.
The team used the week of friendlies as a roster testing ground in preparation for the 2026 IFCPF World Cup which will be played for the first time on American soil at the Arthur M. Blank National Training Center in Fayetteville, Georgia. The tournament runs from October. 12-24.
This international camp reflects the Federation’s commitment to the U.S. Way by investing in resources, infrastructure, and comprehensive support for our Extended National Teams to ensure they are fully prepared to compete and succeed on the world stage.